Machine for hooking rugs and the like



Febn 8,

H. LEVY MACHINE FOR HOOKING-RUGS AND THE LIKE 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dep. `l1

.n JMW; Bw.,

Feb. s, 1927.

MACHINE FOR HOOKING RUGS AND THE LIKE Ryan l Fig.

'Filed Deo. 11. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 l Riglf 11 11 El! 11 1` Ira/venan HAEEY `LEVY, or soUTH PORTLAND, MAINE,L AssIGNoE To `T'NE NEW ENGLAND GUILD, PORTLAND,

MAINE, .A CORPORATEON.

MACHINE FOB HOOKING RUG S AND THE LKE.

application mea December 11, 1925. serial No. 74,789.

My invention relates to .a machine usedy in the manufacture of hooked rugs, s0- called, and which may be utilized on other work of a somewhat similar nature where a loop stitch is employed.

The primary object of my invention is to construct a portable, power-operated machine capable of reeving yarn, rags or thread through a sheet, preferably burlajp, andv forming thereon loops' which areV closely drawn against the sheet on one of the sides thereof and extending for a considerable distance outwardly from the other side,- these longer loops being subsequently cut ofi in another 'operation in the process of manufacturing the rug.

. Another object is to supply means to vary the length of these longer loops to obtain different thicknesses'of rugs.

A further. object relates to the simple but effective method of applying the power to the actuating parts whereby ,the starting and stopping of the machine may be acco'm-l plished with the least possible effort on the part of the operator. v

And a still Afurther and very important object concerns the means employed to vary the relative positions of the needle and `follower', so that each complete vertical. stroke of one may be made to kact either in or outA of synchronism with that of the other.

Other objects will be apparent after reading the specification especially when taken in connection with the 'accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference vindicate similar parts throughout all the Vdifferent views, and in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the rug hooker;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof, taken on line 2.2, Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and `4 are diagrammatical front and edge views. respectively, of the drive gears, showing one position of the cranks;

Figs.v 5 and 6 are the same, except that the crank pins are shown in Ia different relativeposition.

Fig. 7 is al section on line 7--7, Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8 8, Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a section through the male clutch member. similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but somewhat enlarged; v

Figs. 10 and 11 are, respectively, the side and front elevations of a inultiple'needle;

Figs. 12 and 13 are, respectively, the side and front elevations of a multiple follower;

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation (fragmentary) of the needle and follower when in contacting position, and

. Fig. 15 shows a fragmentary view of the needle and follower, in section, mounted on a rug and in operative position,this

position corresponding to the crank posi-l tions illustrated in Fig. 6. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 represents the body of the machine which is preferably made of. light metal, such as aluminum, for the purpose of greater ease in handling. 4A cored chamber 2 contains the drive elements. Covering openings out of each side.

of the body member (1) are anged bearlngs 3, the flanged portions of which, 3',

are secured to the body member (1) by screws 4. Rotatable in these bearings, which carry bushings 5, are shafts 6 and 7 having thrust collars 6 and 7', respectively, on their outer ends. t

Fixed on the shafts 6 and 7 are gears 8 and 9, respectively, the former gear having a crank-pin 8 and the latter a crank-pin 9 projecting from their adjacent sides.

The lower front portion, 1', of the body 1 `is made detachable, being divided as seen in Fig. 7. This is chiefly for the vpurpose of facilitating the assembling of the actuating parts within the body member. It will be observed that the configurationof the lower portion of the body is in the form of a handle which may be grasped by the operator while in the act of manipulating the machine over the rug.

, Within this handle the shank 10 of the needle 10 and the shankv 11 ofthe follower 11, reciprocate. The shank 10 ispivotally connected at 12 with the connecting-rod 13, and the shank 11 has asimilar connection at 14 with the connecting-rod 15.

` Located interjacent and engagingy both of ,the gears 8 and 9 is a' pinion 16, fixed' on the shaft 17. This shaft (17) is journalled in structure 19,-the latter being secured to the body memberA (1) iby the "screws 20.I A collar 21, integralwith thershaft 17, thrusts against one side of the bearing (18) and the hub ofthe pinion 16 acts in a corresponding capacity on'the opposite end onthe same. bearing; thus the shaft 17 an pinion 16 are held against vertical movement in the body member 1.

45 the sleeve 27 in any proper manner and these On the extended portion of the shaft 17 *I above thel collar 21, is theV male portion o a friction c1utch,.22, dependin from which and integral therewith is a s eeve 22 and surrounding this sleeve is the 'clutch collar 23, the latter being provided with an enlarged portion forming a shoulder, 23. The sleeve and the male clutch element have axial movement on the shaft 17. Y

Encompassing the two flattened sides of the clutch collar 23 is the bifurcated arm or yoke 24. (see Fig. 8),"th'e function of-which is to raise lthe clutch collarand hold it against rotation. A ball thrust lbearing is male-clutch element 22 into engagement with the female clutch element 26. A feather,

or sliding key 25 operates to tie the male.

clutch `v member, with respect to rotation thereon, tothe shaft 17, inwhich there is.

key-way fitting the feather 25.

lso

A collar 26 integral with. the" portion -26 bears on the uppermost endof the meinberl19 and interjacentr'the latter and the collared-sleeve 27 is the ballv thrust bearing 28. A helical 'sprin v28 keeps the male clutch part 22 norma y separated from the female element of the clutch, 26.

parts' from vertical movement other than what is necessary to provide free rotation thereof.

The upwardly extending hub 30 of the female clutch element is bored to receive 'the end of the shaft 31 formingthe rota` i mover and is the 'driving element for theV hooking machine.

tive part of any suitable flexible shaft and vthe two elements, 30 `and 31 are securedl together by 'the screw pin 32. This shaft' The flexibl'e haft casing 33 is secured to two elements. the sleevefand'casing. are not rotatable. There is, however, provision for oscillating or turning the whole machine at the joint marked a, this being necessary on -account of the' fact that in the hooking oper ation the machine needle vmust follow the delineati'ons `of the pattern. stamped on the hurlap base of the rug and consequently otallyconnected, at 35, one end of the link 36. Also pivotally mounted on .the detachable body portion 1', at 375, is the trigger 38,-V an off-set arm on which ispivotally connected to the opposite and lower endl ofthe link 36. -A slight pressure of the fore finger of the operator on this trigger will throw the male clutch element into'-y engagement with follower, respectively, reciprocate in' a three# 4sicled\bushing 39 which is secured'iotlie.

body 1 bythe screws 40; and thatfonthe .forward side of the needle `shankithe scrnvs o the `det: :lchfable por-- 41 secure theiplate 42 t tion ofthe handle 1.

A hole 43 senvesto guide andhcontrolfthe I hookingmaterial feeding from ythe supply reel (not`shown) t`o' the needle 10. s

A foot 44 vsupports the hooking -`machine as it vtravels over the rug and an aperture .45 admits the needle and follower to the work.y This foot (44) has-vertical adjustmentzon t'h'ebody, a s lot'46 therein permit.

ting the same to slide over the clamping" screws y47. The-detachable portion 1 -of the handle is secured to the fixed portion 1 by the screws 47.

.Inria 1 I have illustrated the machina assa singlel needle rug-hookingjdevice. In Figs. 10 to 13 `inclusive are portrayed how a plurality of needles and followers may be' 'Y v employed Their application on plain one-V color work or where there is extensive onev color vbackground is especially profitable. 'Acap' 2 9 threaded on .to the end of the. vcylinder element 19 holds theinterposing They also prove very. effective where differ'- ent colors alternate, as'in striped designs of rugs. f

the needle andA follower Abe vsusceptible of change,-either directly .and l di ame,tricall opposite orv 'in closer approach to eac athen-depending 'somewhat on the grade of hooking material beingused.

' Mainly to accomplish this object Ahave I resorted to the twoegear drive, and in Figs. 3l to 6 .inclusive'I have illustrated in dia-I f grammatical forni two 'di'iferent positions in which the crank-pinsmay be placed, the. Figs. 3 andl showingl the latter diametrically opposite.

In Figs. 5 and-lthe follower'..crank-pin is shown considerably nearer the needle.

crank-pin and in this instance the follower acts to hold the loopin place until the needle has just withdrawn. from the rug.4 This isl also 'shown in sectional detail in; Fig. .15

where-48 represents the rug base. or burlap and 49 the hooking material or. filler used in the hooking operation. It 'will be noticed thatthe follower is at its lowest position 'aridholds the loop intact during the -slow 'l movement of the crank ,about its lower center and that this position is properly timed to allow the from the rug.`

needle tp clear `ltself To make any necessary. chan ein the rel'- ative positions of the crank-fpms I vI 'ernove the section 1 and the4 langedbearing 3 may then be disengaged from the pinion of the needle bein vtheir proper places.

16, oscillated so that the correct crank angle is obtained and lthen re-engaged with the pinion and the removed parts put'back in When using heavy, coarse ,material for hooking and with the crank angles located.

as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the needle will tend to pull the loop back out of the rug base when on its upward stroke, before the follower has an opportunity to act. (ranks adjusted as seen in Figs. 5' and 6 eliminate this diticulty'.

The employment of this steady crank action combined `with the adoption of the friction clutch is a feature which is far superior tothe usual orl conventional type cam or spring actuated devices or positively locked clutches. The prominent character- -istic of this drive is its ability to slip or yield when lthe needle encounters more than ordinary resistance in piercing the rug base. It also starts actuation of the parts much more steadily and easily than a positively gripping clutch which takes hold with a jerking action which oftenbreaks the yarn or other hooking material. Furthermore, the male, or driven member of the clutch is supported'on Aan anti-friction thrust which results in more power being, delivered to the hooking elements. And lastly, it permits operated at a much higher speed and this consequently tends to greater production in manufactured goods.

While it does not, strictly speaking, `function as avariable speed reduction device, my friction clutch combined with its associated elements does in actual practice allow the operator unlimited opportunity to slacken the speed of the machine at critical times,-as when turning corners and following intricate designs in the pattern, and while the feed` may be somewhat spasmodic, it is easily and always under the control of theoperator, who, by a light touch on the trigger may make the apparatus serve admirably for the purpose of which'we speak.

`In operation, the hooking material is vfirst thereaded through the o ening 43 and the eye of the needle 10; a s ight pressure on the trigger 38 starts actuation of the needle and follower and a long loop will form on the under side of the rug base and a short close one on the top. Thelower loop may be varied in length by adjusting the foot 44, or by-placing-the crank-pins vin other` holes 50 in the gears, increasing or decreasing the stroke of the needle and follower. While the foregoing description and the illustrations give a clear understanding of the preferred embodiment of my invention it is obvious that slight modifications in Leiden like, comprising in combination a body 1 member, a lsupporting leg depending from said body, a hooking needle reciprocable in and depending from Ysaid body member and adapted tooperate through and for a spaced distance beyond said supporting leg, means to vary by predetermined spaced distances the travel of ,said hokinggneedle beyond;y and below said' supporting leg whereby variousfand .predetermined lengths of loops may be had, a follower lreciprocable in said body member and located in contiguous relation to said hooking needle and means to vary the relative -positions of said hooking needle and said follower, longitudinally of their movements, whereby the hooking needle may contact with the rug being hooked at various and predetermined spaced intervals preceding the contact of said 'followers with said rug.

2. In a machine for, hooking rugs and the like, the combination, witha body member, a reciprocable hooking needle, a reciprocable follower and a supporting leg for said machine, of gears fixed on rotatable shafts disposed at right angles to said hooking needle and separated by a spaced distance, a pinion interjacent and engaging both of said gears, means to actuate said pinion, a crank-pin on each of said gears, a drive-rod connecting y one of said crank-pins with said hooking .needle shank, a drive-rod connecting the other of the Said crank-pins withl the shank of the said follower and means tovary the stroke-sequence of said hooking needle relative to that of said follower whereby the completion of the Vdownward rmovement of said hooking needle may at predetermined times be made to precede that of the said l follower by various and predetermined spaced intervals, substantially as described. y

3, In a machine for hooking rugs and the like, the combination, with a lbody member, a reciprocable hooking needle, and a'. reciprocable follower, of a female'clutch member rotatably mounted in said body member,

smooth face and bore and tapering, means to positively throw Aone of said clutch members into engagement with the'other, means to yieldingly lseparate said clutch members, means to actuate said female clutch member,

means interconnecting ysaid needle land follower whereby the multaneously, throng the agency 'of said interconnecting elements, by said male lntch member when in engagementl with said fe male clutch .me1nber, and lmeans whereby raid hooking needle .and said follower may l be located in relatively different positions' through the transposition of said interco-n nectmg elements whereby the reciprocations of said needle and said follower may be either in or out of synchronisrm one with the other.

, 4. In a 1nacl1ine-,fo1' l1ooking rugsand the like, the combination, with a body member,

a reciproca-ble hooking needle, and a. recprocable follower, of la frictionally driven "clutch embodyinggannale andfemale element, a sleeve depending from said male element, a collar on sald sleeve, a ball thrust may be actuated vsi- .bearing interjacent said male element and said collar, means to .throw said male element into engagement with said female element, means to yieldingly disengage sald tions by ball thrust bearings, means to positively actuate said female clutch element, means interposed between said male clutch follower Ywhereby the two latter members may be actuated simultaneously and means element and said hooking needle and said to make the reciprocations of'said needle and said followereither synchronousor out of synchronism," substantially as described.

HARRY LEVY; 

